The Good Enough Momprneur Podcast Interview with LaToya Williamson
[00:00:00] Welcome to the podcast, Latoya. Thank you so much for joining me today. Thank you, Angela. I am so excited to be here. Yeah, me too. We've talked a little bit before recording and we definitely have this, connection and I love the energy. And I really think that you have a lot to teach us today about our operations and business strategy.
[00:00:24] So why don't you set the stage for listeners on. Your background and what inspired you to start virtually for you business solutions? Yes, absolutely. Hello. Hello, everybody. I am so excited to be here and I definitely want to make sure that I am bringing the value because I know how hard it is for us as moms, as entrepreneurs, as mompreneurs to really, run our businesses and our lives.
[00:00:51] And, I think. That is actually what started my journey to becoming an operations and launch strategist [00:01:00] in my previous life. When I worked in corporate, I worked in supportive roles and I saw how like the executives that I was supporting, how. It was hard for them oftentimes to balance work and their home life.
[00:01:17] And so whether they were moms or, just, they're married or they're in relationships or whatever that was that, that's where I really came in to really support them. Especially the executives that I supported because most of them, I supported women. And most of my corporate career.
[00:01:34] And so seeing that really started getting me thinking about when I started my entrepreneurial journey, because I have been, I don't know about you, Angela, but I was one of those kinds of people that I was like, I know it's me. be working in an office, like I need to be working for myself. I knew that at some point when I grow up that I'm going to be an entrepreneur because maybe it's the controlling side of my personality, the [00:02:00] bossiness part of my personality, but I was like, I know that I need to be doing my own thing.
[00:02:06] And so when I started thinking about that what actually triggered really that in me was one of my managers that I worked for in my corporate job, she left the company to start her own business and she like, and I loved her. Like we just had just, a great relationship. So of course we stayed in contact afterwards.
[00:02:27] And I thought that was so brave and courageous of her. And, even though she didn't have Family, like if she's, she's not married, she doesn't have any kids or anything like that, but she was like, I want something more for myself and I'm not getting good here in these four walls of this building and this corporation.
[00:02:43] So I'm going to do this on my own. And when she did that, I saw how, not that she was struggling, but she was struggling, right? Like she was doing, she was making it do what it do. But. She needed extra help. And that's how I even [00:03:00] started. I started out my online career as a virtual assistant.
[00:03:04] And I was like, okay, you just need me to help you behind the scenes. So I would come home from my nine to five job and I would help her with the invoices. And I would help her with creating processes to streamline her business because she was a solopreneur, right? She was doing it all on her own.
[00:03:21] So that's when. All of the operations started coming into play because I'm a problem solver, just by nature. And I am really like, I do like process. Like I like to know, okay, this is how you do it. So you take this step, then this step. Like I work best when you just give me the step by step because that helps me.
[00:03:40] I can process it better. And it helps me to stay on track too, because I can get all over the place. And I think a lot of us can relate to that, especially as entrepreneurs, especially as moms, we're used to multitasking. We're used to being creative and coming up with ways to do things and make it easier for ourselves.
[00:03:58] And so that's [00:04:00] operations, right? And so that's what I love to do. It's okay, let's figure out a really good way to do this and make it easier for ourselves. Because I'm all about the, work smarter, not harder. Like I'm a hard worker, but. If you don't have to work hard, let's not make it hard.
[00:04:14] And that's when I really started seeing how operations was really something that was ingrained in me. And that was something that I really needed to lean into as I'm helping my clients as I'm doing things for myself, that I could really help those people that maybe are not as operational savvy, that maybe aren't as process driven, that I could really be that resource to them.
[00:04:37] So that's how it all started. Long story. Short or long story long. No, that's like the big, that's the big picture of just how it all started and how I really started to see I can really help entrepreneurs specifically like solopreneurs. I can really help them create businesses that are streamlined, that [00:05:00] are, that are operationally going to work for the life that they want, because nobody wants to be in their business 24 seven.
[00:05:07] Like we all want to have a life, whether you're a mom or not. And so if I can help you create that. Experience for yourself and even for your clients, to receive an amazing streamlined process driven experience. That's going to help you to make money. That's going to help you to keep your clients.
[00:05:26] That's going to just help you feel good. And there's so much that I could talk about it. We're going to talk about it, but there's so much that can go into just operations, like it's not just about systems and applications. Like it really is getting to me, it's like the dreamy part of. Like creating your business, the dreamy part is I can build whatever I dream up.
[00:05:50] It's just something like, what do I want? And then now let's put the steps in place to actually make it happen and make it a reality. And that's what I do for my clients. Now, I [00:06:00] love that. And one of the things I was thinking about when you were talking is that I know as myself and support roles in the corporate world, I always discounted.
[00:06:12] the systems and operations that I would set up to do my job to support executives or partners or whatever it was. And so I think it's really great that you saw that and anybody listening to this, if you're in that support role, you absolutely can take those skills that you've and help others.
[00:06:37] In your own business. Yeah. You can use that to create your own business and support others in a totally different way. So don't discount those skills and abilities for sure. Absolutely. And and even in processes helps you to keep like. Not being that reactive mode all the time.
[00:06:58] Yes, absolutely. [00:07:00] Absolutely. And that's one of the things actually that if I had to say that there's a few things that I miss from being in corporate, but that's one of the things that I do miss about corporate is that. A lot of the systems and processes that we probably took for granted, right? The ones that we didn't have to create that were just there.
[00:07:18] We take that for granted. When you get into the entrepreneurial space though, it's like you're creating all of that from scratch. And it's important to do that near the beginning when you're getting started. It's obvious it's not too late. If you're well on your entrepreneurial journey, you can always revisit.
[00:07:34] We look at systems and every year, but when you're just getting started, it's important to lay down that foundation of how am I going to do it? You don't have to have all the systems in place, right? But you need to have a process, even if it's manual, have a way to do it over and over again, have a way to onboard your clients over and over again.
[00:07:54] And as you get into a good. Of good flow, then you can start adding in [00:08:00] systems. Then you can start adding in automations, which actually talks that kind of leads me into like my framework, which is why I have this 3 s framework, because it starts with the strategy and then you get to the structure and then you get to the support and.
[00:08:16] So when I start thinking about strategy, that's that dreamy part, right? That we talked about before it's the, okay, what exactly, what is this experience that I want to take my clients through, or what is this experience that I want to have in my business? And so you start thinking and knowing like that end result, if you're planning a wedding what you want your wedding to end up being.
[00:08:37] The vibes you want to have, you want, where you might want to have it, you have that vision of planning your wedding and then you back it all the way up to actually start planning it. It's the same thing, like in our businesses that we you want to have.
[00:08:52] Some kind of idea of what you want, the end result of your business. If everything was perfect in my business, I [00:09:00] created the business of my dreams. What would that look like? And then you start breaking that down into smaller bite sized pieces to actually make it happen. But the strategy starts with the, what's the big picture.
[00:09:12] What am I trying to accomplish? What is the end result that I want to have? And then you start getting into the second S, which is the structure piece. That's the piece. What is the main, the foundation? What is the basic, what are my basic needs to actually make this a reality? Because a lot of times people will think about hiring people and sometimes you have to hire people in your business as part of your structure.
[00:09:39] And then sometimes you have to hire people in your business to help you take things to the next level. So once you have that strategy in place, you know what that end result is. Then you start looking like, what is that foundation that I need to have in place to, at a minimum, make Get everything done.
[00:09:55] And so that's why I always think about structure differently. So when I'm helping my [00:10:00] clients, I'm helping them to say, okay, based on the type of business that you say that you want, then, or based on the thing that you want to launch, whatever that is. Now that we know what that is, what are the things that we need to put in place?
[00:10:12] Is it a system that we need to place? Is it someone that we need to hire like a specialist, right? To help you to actually get this done? Is it, whatever it is, right? We decide on that and that then becomes your structure. And the structure could be there forever, or it could be there for a short time, right?
[00:10:30] And then you say, okay, now that I've gotten, we got the strategy part done, we know where we're going. Now we've got the structure in place. We're like, we were, we're executing on this. We have our basic needs met. We're able to execute on this. Now, how do we take it to the next level? So what kind of support do I need?
[00:10:47] Do I need a system? Do I need an automation? Do I need another person that's going to do some of this work on my behalf, right? Do I need my family outside of, what I'm doing here? Do I need them to support me [00:11:00] in a different way? Do I need? To hire somebody to do my laundry because I'm in a mode where I need to, yeah, I could do the laundry myself, of course, but what's going to help you take it to the next level to give you more time is maybe somebody else doing it.
[00:11:12] And so these are the kinds of things that I talk about with my clients that we're not just talking about your business. I'm talking about like, how can we infuse your business into the life that you have into the life that you want? It shouldn't be the other way around. It shouldn't be you trying to And so we can't just focus on the business stuff.
[00:11:34] We've got to focus on the life stuff too, exactly. And so one of the big things that I do with my clients is we start with strategic planning, right? Anytime I'm working with somebody, I want to do the strategic planning because I want to get the end result. I want to know what are we trying to get to, because then that's going to help me to then better figure out what steps we need to take to get there.
[00:11:54] And oftentimes I'm asking them okay, if you want to launch this new group program, [00:12:00] because I work with a lot of coaches and I'm like, okay, they want to launch a group program. So I'm like, okay how long do you want to have this program? Maybe six months, maybe a year. I'm like, are you going to be committed to delivering the same program over and over again for six months energetically?
[00:12:13] Is that something that we wanna do? , and they're like, Ooh, no, maybe not. And I'm like, okay, so then what do we need to put in place? How do we need to structure this offer? So that's how it starts really getting into the strategy piece and the structure piece and the support piece.
[00:12:28] And so that's what I call it, my three s formula. That leads to, I do it for other S's, but it leads to like simplification. It leads to streamline. It leads to scaling. And I forget the other S like I'm blanking on the other S, but It's on my website, guys, but it leads to even I think it's more support, right?
[00:12:50] It leads to more support in your business. So those are the four S's that it could lead to, but it all starts with those first three S's, which is what I love. So my, [00:13:00] I call it my three S formula to elevation. And that's what helps you to get to that next level. And that's what I think so many of us need in our businesses, as entrepreneurs even as moms, like I was I was talking to my sister earlier today and I was telling her, she's a single mom of four.
[00:13:18] She's going through a transitional period in her life and. I was like, these are the things that one, two things that you definitely need. You need to number one, have a strategy, you got to have a strategy and you got to have communication, right? Strategy and communication. But that's part of the, you got to know the big picture and strategy is all around us.
[00:13:40] I don't think that we. Think of it as strategy when we're going through life and we're going through business, all the decisions that we're making it for something. We're making it for, to help us to get to something or somewhere. And so that's all strategy. And when you think about it like that, I think that's what makes it [00:14:00] exciting.
[00:14:02] So you don't have to be an operations girly to, appreciate that. But that's what I love about what I do, because it really can infiltrate everything in your business, in your life, to really get you to that next level so that you can make the impact that you want to make with the people that you're serving, as your clients or your customers.
[00:14:23] Yeah, so what I'm, what I often hear is people, especially when they leave corporate, they don't want to have all the rules and systems and processes because they feel that's what really bogged them down and they want that freedom in their business. But what do you say to that person who is Like going, I don't know about all of this.
[00:14:53] What do you say to that person and how can they look at the operations and systems differently [00:15:00] to give them more freedom and not see it as a restriction? Yeah. So I'm, I will say this I'm not necessarily a routine type of person, right? Like I do like to go by the seat of my pants.
[00:15:13] However. When I'm trying to accomplish something, I can't do that. I have to number one, be able to stick to it. So if I'm really trying to get to that end goal, whatever that is, I need to have a system in place to actually get there. And I say that because if something doesn't go right, how are you going to know what to fix?
[00:15:37] If you don't have something documented, you have to have something, some kind of process to be okay. This is what I was doing. And so no, what I was doing did not get me to that end result. So what do I need to do differently? And when it comes to putting systems in place, you can put whatever you want.
[00:15:59] [00:16:00] That's the beauty of it. You can create whatever experience you want so you're not stuck to somebody else's rules. These are your rules that you're putting in place. It's okay to have rules, but they're your rules. So you can do whatever you want. So if you want to have a group coaching program and you only want to meet three times a year, then do that.
[00:16:20] We can put things in place to keep people engaged and different things like that. We can get creative, but if that's what you want to do, then let's do it. If you want to only onboard your clients through videos and emails, Do it. Yes, there's going to be some preparation that you need to do ahead of time, but we can do that.
[00:16:39] We can create whatever you want. And so you will still have that creative process. You'll still have that creative vibe, going with the flow. But you'll also have a process so that you can look back and see what's working and what's not working, because that's the thing that's going to get you to the success.
[00:16:58] You have to be able to see what's [00:17:00] working and what's not working. So it's almost like you're collecting the data through the process that you're taking people through and data is always. I'm not like a data person, but I am, but data, that's the way that's the only way that you can see the results is you gotta have that data to hold on to, to see okay, this is what I've been doing and this didn't work.
[00:17:21] Or when I did this, that worked or that felt better to me. So you got to have a process. Yeah. So what are some of the ways in which you have seen that your clients have, changed? Or what are some of the outcomes that have been from putting some of the systems and operations in place with your guidance?
[00:17:42] Yeah, so the biggest thing is I work with, obviously coaches and I think a lot of time the coaches that I work with service providers as well. They are obviously very much like the visionaries, right? They have these ideas. They know, they're either visionary. They have these creative [00:18:00] ideas or they're.
[00:18:00] All about the impact, like I'm here to serve my people, my clients. And so a lot of times they're not really thinking about the behind the scenes or how we're going to get things done. So when they get me into the picture, I'm going to help them to organize all these amazing thoughts that they have.
[00:18:18] I help them to like hone in. I help them to have clarity around okay, I know you want to do this Group program, but why are we doing it? What is the point? What are we trying to accomplish? How is this fit into your mission or your vision for your business and even for your life? And so helping them and challenging them helps them to get even clearer about the work that they're wanting to do and what they need to do to really meet the needs of their clients.
[00:18:48] And then we put those systems and guardrails in place for them. So then they know exactly what they need to do, right? They don't have to think about it every time when I'm sending out a proposal, [00:19:00] then I know, okay, I need to do this in Dubsado and click this button, right? That makes it so much easy for them.
[00:19:05] So they're organized. And then of course it even saves them time. Of course, everybody wants more time because Once it's gone, you can't get it back. So I'm giving them that organization. I'm giving them that clarity so that they actually know what they need to be creating. And then they're also then, having more time freedom, which then leads to more money because now they're able to network more or they're able to, engage with their audience more online.
[00:19:31] And so now they're bringing in more people or they're getting more referrals. So it all leads to more money. And maybe that, that's not necessary. So my focus of yeah, I'm trying to make, help you make a million dollars in your business, but it could lead to that if we do these other things.
[00:19:48] And I think that's what most of us need. Especially when we're first starting out in our businesses, you need another person that's strategic. You know what I mean? Like that partner, that's it's going to be like the mini [00:20:00] CEO or like your clone that can think along the same lines as you, but also help you to hone it in and reel it in.
[00:20:08] So a lot of my clients, like they tell me I'm their boss. I boss them around. Yeah. You can't, the importance of having that sounding board. And, like you said, you can have all these ideas, but hearing them out loud and Voicing them to someone and going, Oh, maybe I don't want to meet three times a week for six months.
[00:20:32] Exactly. I'm going to have a three year old or whatever. Exactly. Exactly. No, we're not doing that. Yeah. That's one of my favorite things to say. No, I don't know. We're not doing that. We're not doing that. Yeah, no, it is so helpful to have somebody to be there for you to voice all of those things to but to [00:21:00] you have become a new step mom and that has, so you bring this unique perspective to, and a step mom to a teenager, no less, which is not easy.
[00:21:14] Yeah. No, it's not. We are not commiserators the same age. Exactly. But we've commiserated. Exactly. Yeah. So how has that been and how have you shifted your perspective and in your business to meet those challenges? So my husband and I were going on five years married. So five years of me being a step mom literally became a mom instantly.
[00:21:42] Once you say I do. And yeah, as a teenager, it's funny because they only, so my husband and my stepson, they only know me as an entrepreneur. They don't know me. The part of me that worked outside of the home. And so that definitely is a challenge because [00:22:00] they're like, you're just downstairs. Can you take me to work?
[00:22:03] Can what are we having for dinner? And I'm like, I'm in the middle of something like literally to even do this interview. I put a big sign on my door, like recording a podcast. Do not enter. Don't come in here. Don't ask me one little thing. Don't tell me you need toothpaste. Don't leave me alone.
[00:22:19] I'm working. And I think for me, one of the things that obviously I have processed, I think of my day and my weeks with strategy, right? So if it's a day that I know my stepson has to go to work after school, and my husband is working afternoons, I'm planning my day around that, right? Okay, what is the end goal for today?
[00:22:41] I need to. Get these calls done, but I also need to stop. I need to take him to work. And then, I need to make sure we have some dinner or something like that. So I'm always like planning and just looking at my day and putting that strategy, my strategy muscle into play.
[00:22:58] And then the other thing that's really [00:23:00] big for me is obviously communication. When I know that I have something going on that I'm like, look, I am not going to be available to take you to work, or I'm not going to be able to take him to work. Can you take him? I'm having to tag you in. So we're communicating constantly and, doing that, even conditioning my stepson who's 17 to be like, I'm not just thinking about your life and what you have going on all day long.
[00:23:27] Like I have a life too. So I need you to tell me and remind me that, Hey, I got work today. Cause I don't know, you could have changed your schedule as far as I know. I'm not just assuming, but of course, in the back of my mind. As moms, we know we're so many that you got to go to work.
[00:23:42] I'm still planning, but he don't know that. Okay. So I'm telling you, you need to tell me when you have work, let me know. And I'm, constantly communicating that with him to say yeah, I know I work from home, but I'm working, and it's funny, cause I say the way I say I'm working my husband, he teases [00:24:00] me.
[00:24:00] He's His name is DeWayne and anybody, he'll be like, I'm working DeWayne because they hear that so much because I'm saying like, okay, I'm working. Give me a minute. That's a really good point too. I think anybody, regardless of whether you're a mom or not struggles to help others. Understand that you are working when you remotely, it's there's this sense of it's less formal or it's just like here.
[00:24:29] Yeah. And yes, that's a really great point that is working remotely at home as a mom to. It's that doesn't mean I'm on 24 hours. Exactly. Necessarily. Exactly. It's you're going to have to wait. And it's funny because I I had that same experience with even with my parents when I first started working from home and I would be like, Oh, I can adjust my schedule to be available to take my mom to the doctor [00:25:00] or to help out with this.
[00:25:01] I could. Exactly. Exactly. But at the end of the day, I was telling him I'm adjusting my schedule. It's different when I worked in Chicago, right? I'm miles and miles away. So no, that's not an easier, that's not as easy to do, but if I'm here, I'm within the vicinity, 10 mile radius, yeah, I can adjust my schedule to do this for you, and then I'm going to go back to work.
[00:25:23] So I had started getting a little bit of practice with them, but being married and having a. Sun in the house has been a total game changer. And I feel like they were navigating it well. Just times where I know that I'm like head down, I got work to do. Leave me alone. That I just say, Hey, I got a busy week.
[00:25:43] I'm not going to be available or as accessible. Don't come in here. I even have to tell the cat no, you can't come in here right now. Kitty. Yeah. So I'm hearing. Organizing your time boundaries and yes, absolutely. [00:26:00] Absolutely. Look, if we had to come up with a three, three something framework, let me see boundaries.
[00:26:08] Let's see, what can we name that boundaries? Organization planning. A bop. Yeah. It's a bop. Exactly. Like we got boundaries. I gotta be organized today. I gotta plan it out. Like I'm on a mission. Yes. Oh my gosh. I love connecting with you. And I think that you have so much great energy and just really, it's so important to not only have somebody that you're working with to have the expertise, but always also just this sense, especially when you're working with a coach, like this potential and I feel like you really hold that.
[00:26:58] Yeah, thank [00:27:00] you. Oh, I love that. But if anybody is listening today and you want them to have a takeaway on, making sure they implement those operations or working with their families or whatever it is in the wealth of information you shared with us today, what would that be? Yeah, so I love because I am a planner, right?
[00:27:23] I love to look at. Life and in my business in a 12 month. Period. And I do 12 months because I know a lot of people do like quarterly planning, but looking at a 12 month period gets you, it stretches you number one to be like, okay, what am I trying to accomplish in 12 months?
[00:27:41] It also gives you room to wiggle. When you need to, because as moms, as entrepreneurs, things are going to come up unexpectedly. And it's not that you're just pushing it off. It's giving you're giving yourself grace and you're giving yourself time to energetically [00:28:00] recover when things are hard.
[00:28:02] And I think that's one of the things that I would say, looking at your. Looking at your business, looking at your life in 12 month increments. And in my, in your mind always have like, how can I manage my energy throughout all of these things that I want to accomplish? Because if you have that in mind, You will give yourself more of that mommy time, that downtime, that time to recover, right?
[00:28:28] And you're not going to keep going to accomplish these goals that yeah, we have, we all have goals, right? But giving yourself time and allow yourself patience, right? Some of us, we gotta, hone in on our patients, cause this is, this is a is, this is not a sprint, right?
[00:28:46] It's a marathon, right? All the analogies, right? Building a business takes time, building a life takes time. And so there are going to be things that are going to be happening along your journey and just enjoy the journey. And so those are the things that I would say, [00:29:00] looking at your life in 12 month increments.
[00:29:02] And when, so when you're planning that'll help you to give space, for when things are hard and things that you might not be able to get done that you need to push off. And then, really managing your energy because you can't give what you don't have. And just enjoying the journey of it all.
[00:29:20] I think like I'm not a road tripper, but I do enjoy. When I am on a road trip, I do enjoy the journey. Like I enjoy the stops along the way. I enjoy, Oh, look at that over there. And, like taking the scenic route. And I think that's what we need to do more of in our businesses and in our lives is take the scenic route and, just enjoy it.
[00:29:45] Cause life is short and life is short, but at the same time, There is time to do some of the things that I know that we want to do in our businesses. So yeah, business is not everything. It's a big part of what we do, but [00:30:00] life is way more important than that. So we need to make sure that we're giving ourselves time and grace to enjoy that.
[00:30:06] I think those are awesome points and takeaways. And you're the second person this year that I've heard suggest looking at your life in 12 month increments. So you can first plan out what are, when are you going to take vacation? What are the holidays? What are the birthdays? Yeah, get those things down first and then you start weaving exactly.
[00:30:30] And I think I've been thinking that way this year and I'm like, Oh, okay, we're gonna like. Plan things because I've been a quarterly person. Yeah, and I feel like I'm constantly running out of time Yes, exactly looking at it in these smaller increments. Yes So look at the big increments and then you break that down into the quarters, right?
[00:30:51] And then Now it, it feels more manageable because it's you've got, okay, this one I'm trying to do for the year. And so [00:31:00] just these three months, this is what I need to focus on, or just this month, this is what I need to focus on. You can really break it down. And I found that I, cause I started doing that and it has really changed how I do business.
[00:31:14] And at the end of the day, even if I don't accomplish it in the 12 months, there's more time, or maybe I just didn't need to do that. I'm okay with that too. At the end of the day, there are so many things that we are accomplishing along our journey, and it doesn't always have to be in a goal.
[00:31:29] Sometimes you find it in hidden, Gems along the way, which is why I say enjoy the journey. I recently posted about that, like on my Instagram page. So y'all can follow me on Instagram. I know we'll share all of them. Yeah, I was going to ask, where can listeners, I know they're going to want to connect with you and learn more about what you can do and how you can help them.
[00:31:50] So tell them where they can connect with you. Yeah. So I'm on so Instagram Latoya K. Williamson, and you can even find me on LinkedIn [00:32:00] at Latoya K S Williamson. So you got to put the S in there. Cause yes, I do have fun fact. I have two middle names. My daughter has two middle names. Look at this again, Angela.
[00:32:14] And you mentioned Chicago, and I lived in Chicago for a long time, I love Chicago, it's my favorite city. Yes. We're brought together. Exactly. So yeah, that's where you can find me, and I'm over there, sharing my thoughts. Thoughts and perspectives. I'm sharing stuff around strategy and operations and launching, so if you, if that's your vibe, come on over, hang out with me. I, we, I laugh a lot. I ramble a lot. I tell stories. So if that's your vibe, come home to my little corner of Instagram. Yes, I love it. Thank you, LaToya. It's been awesome connecting with you. I loved our conversation so much. Thank you. Thank you for having [00:33:00] me.
[00:33:01] Absolutely. Thank you, LaToya. All right.